Things I love about summer in Japan: sunflowers

There's something to me that's so cheerful about sunflowers, and I love that Japan has so many great places to enjoy them during the summer months. We have some spacious parks to enjoy them in large numbers here in Niigata, but I'm also in awe that you can find them in fairly urban areas as well. Zama in Kanagawa is one such place, and when I lived in the Tokyo suburbs I enjoyed the sunflower garden in Musashimurayama.

One of my favorite spots for sunflowers in Ojiya, Niigata Prefecture

They definitely make the heat and humidity of the summer months here bearable -- dare I say even something to look forward to!

Do you have any good sunflower parks or gardens in your local area?